Model of McAdam's military ambulance, England, 1850-1900

Wooden model of McAdam's horse-drawn suspension ambulance Wooden model of McAdam's horse-drawn suspension ambulance

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Wooden model of McAdam's horse-drawn suspension ambulance
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Wooden model of McAdam's horse-drawn suspension ambulance
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Wooden model of McAdam's horse-drawn suspension ambulance, military, probably English, 1850-1900

Transporting wounded men away from the battlefield or between different medical units has long proved difficult for the armed forces. Throughout the 1800s a number of vehicles were developed which were designed specifically for transporting the wounded.

Inside the cart, originally suspended above the axle, there is room for four men in a sitting position. The ride from battlefield to field hospital would have been a bumpy and uncomfortable one, but the inventor has at least attempted to develop a basic suspension system which would have provided more comfort than many such vehicles. Little is known about ‘McAdam’, supposedly the inventor of this ambulance.

Details

Category:
Emergency Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A630950
Materials:
structure, wood, stained, tyres, iron, axle, iron and fittings, iron
Measurements:
overall: 330 mm x 270 mm x 740 mm,
type:
model - representation and ambulance